Classic Literature
on Decapod Crustacea
(Crabs, Shrimps, Prawns, Lobsters, and their many relatives)
Unlike many fields of science, in which new developments render obsolete the findings of the past, systematic biology continues to rely heavily on the original descriptions of plants and animals. Indeed, in many cases the original paper in which a species was named remains the only written description or illustration of that species, making this older literature essential to our field.
Because so much of this “classic” literature is out of print or and no longer available, we are making PDF copies available here for the crustacean research community and for wider audiences.
The definition of what constitutes a “classic” is of course somewhat arbitrary. For now, I am including primarily literature that focuses on the systematics, taxonomy, or morphology of decapod crustaceans. I would be glad to hear your thoughts about other pieces of literature that should be listed here, and I would be pleased to receive (and to offer here) any PDF copies of other classic decapod literature that you would be willing to share with us.
To view the (low-resolution version) pages, click on the “[View Pages]” text after the reference. To download the (full-resolution) PDF, simply click on the icon that appears to the left of the title. You can also retrieve the citations in formats appropriate for the Endnote citation management program from the library download page.
This project is a direct result of the Assembling the Tree of Life program of the U. S. National Science Foundation via grant DEB-EF-0531616 to Joel Martin at the Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History (one of four grants in support of the Decapod Crustacea Tree of Life project).
Joel W. Martin
Los Angeles
December, 2006
